Russian authority hands Rostov radar data to MH17 probe

Russian authorities have provided radar data from a regional air traffic centre to investigators analysing the loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

The data has been sourced from the area control centre at Rostov, which oversees the Rostov-on-Don flight information region to which MH17 would have been handed after exiting Dnipropetrovsk airspace.

Russian federal aviation regulator Rosaviatsia says its representative group, led by its deputy chief, has transferred requested information – including the Rostov air traffic data – to the Dutch inquiry.

Radar information purported to have been sourced from the Rostov area centre, and showing the interruption to the track of MH17, were released by the Russian defence ministry to question the main suggestion that a surface-to-air missile had brought down the Boeing 777.

Ukrainian deputy prime minister Vladimir Groisman says that the country's air accident investigation authority, the NBAAI, has "approved" a preliminary report into the event and that it will be sent to the Netherlands for further work.

Groisman says that a team of more than 100 investigative and support personnel, including over 50 from the Netherlands, have been able to access the site of the 17 July crash since 1 August.